Reporter and education writer Karin Chenoweth founded Democracy and Education in the fall of 2022. Since then, it has grown to include a vibrant group of school board members, former members, candidates, and people involved in school board campaigns from all over the country, many of whom have successfully faced down extremist threats. A distinguished group have agreed to be the organization’s Advisory Board.

Advisory Board

Kristen Amundson is a former teacher, school board chair, and state legislator. Amundson represented the 44th District (George Washington's old legislative seat) in the Virginia General Assembly from 1999 to 2009 after serving for nearly a decade on the Fairfax County school board. She was president of the Virginia School Boards Association and served for many years as CEO of the National Association of State Boards of Education.

Kris has authored two books, 81 Questions for Parents: Helping Students Succeed and Unfinished Learning: Schools, Parents, and the COVID School Closures (Rowman & Littlefield). She took the lead in the podcast, “So, You Want to Run for School Board,” which can be found on our podcast page.

"I'm involved in Democracy and Education because I've experienced first-hand the damage done to public schools and their communities when enemies of public education are elected to school boards.”

—Betsy Connolly

Betsy Connolly was a member of the Conejo Valley California school board from 2008 until 2020, including a stint as board president. She is a college instructor in equine science and zoology and had an equine veterinary practice from 1982 to 2001. She is involved with Community Action Ventura County. She earned a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Denver and a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Colorado State University.

"As an aspiring school board member, there were shockingly few resources available to help me figure out how to run a strong campaign.  Democracy and Education gave me a solid foundation to build my campaign and support to see it through to the end.  Now, it remains a wonderful resource to help me better serve the kids in my district."

—Michael Cook

Michael Cook was elected to the Plano Texas school board in 2023. He is also a local business owner and a member of the Plano Chamber of Commerce and the Plano West Rotary. The son of a police officer and a secretary, he is the first in his family to finish college at Cornell University, where he received a BS in Applied Economics and an MBA in Real Estate Finance.

“As an attorney who served for 16 years on my local school board and has spent more than 20 years educating school boards across the country, it is of paramount importance that we preserve and improve both our democratic process and our public education system.”

—Kay Douglas

Kay Douglas has worked in board consulting and development since 2002. She received her law degree from the University of Houston and her BA in psychology from Columbia University. Kay served on the Huntsville Texas school board. She also served as an Assistant General Counsel for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and as First Assistant District Attorney. 

“As a political scientist who has studied the rise and fall of democracies, lived and worked in authoritarian and post-authoritarian countries, and worked to secure the rights of children and families in state agencies and non-profits in the US, I know that a strong system of public education is democracy’s most powerful bulwark.”

—Rita Moore

Rita Moore served on the Portland Oregon School Board from 2017 to 2021, including a stint as board chair. She continues to work as a youth advocate. Rita holds a PhD in political science from Columbia University.

"Based on my presidential campaign experience, I coached our local volunteers on how to run for school board. It was obvious that there was a great need for school district campaign resources. I was thrilled to discover D&E, and to spread word of these valuable resources to other communities across the U.S. that want to protect their school boards from extremists!”

—Kelly Ray

Kelly Ray has been an activist against extremists since 2019, whether they have been calling for book bans or attempting to take over school boards. She’s been involved in local and national political campaigns and is experienced at conducting volunteer training. With a background in education, she is an avid supporter of public education, and the teachers that work hard to educate America’s youth.

”Democracy and Education’s briefs on critical issues facing school boards are great resources. They helped me craft messages that resonated with voters on the campaign trail. I still consult them as I lean into the complexities of my new role as a school director.”

—Ben Walker

Ben Walker was elected to the Central York school board in Pennsylvania in 2023 after prior board members banned hundreds of books from classrooms two years prior. He’s part of a team that continues to fight for the freedom to read. Ben holds a BA in International Studies from American University and an MFA in Creative Writing from Hollins University. He has worked in public service for over a decade and also volunteers as D&E’s webmaster.

“Our public schools need to educate students effectively. That includes math and reading skills, but also lots of literature, history, science and the arts. It means teaching about democracy—how it works and its history, including what has damaged and strengthened it. It means strong special education programs and smart approaches to testing. To do all of this, our public schools need knowledgeable, capable school board members who are committed to strong, effective public schools.”

—Ruth Wattenberg

Ruth Wattenberg served on the DC State Board of Education from 2015 until 2024, including two years as president. Prior to that she worked for more than 25 years for the American Federation of Teachers, including serving as the director of its educational issues department.